Little Gems of Wisdom

It’s said that medical science discovered in the early 1900s that the force of life was in the blood.  True science will always confirm scripture and did so in this case.  What's even more important is this: while the scripture may at first appear to be making a medical point, we have no life if we are not in His blood.

Lev 17:11 For the life of the flesh [is] in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it [is] the blood [that] maketh an atonement for the soul. 

For an insightful look at True Science, see this article: Understanding Science

Nature and Spiritual are Object Lessons

In nature, blood stains.  The blood of Christ cleanses our stains and sins.

In nature, an anchor goes downward.  Our anchor in now in heaven, pulling us upward.

In nature, when you eat, you get full.  In our spiritual lives, getting fed only increases our hunger for righteousness.

Permission Needed

I wonder how precise Brother Peter was in his choice of words.

 1Pe 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: 

He used a word which became in our English may, rather than can or will.  Seems to me the word may indicates permission must be granted.

Simon Barjona

means literally, Simon, son of Jona.   In John, we find another person with the Bar attached to his name.  Barabbas.  Then cried they all again, saying, Not this man, but Barabbas. Now Barabbas was a robber.

I like to think that in picture, in type, all of us which cry Abba Father, all of us who were condemned to die, found another to take our place and our punishment there.  Bar abba.  Son of the Father.  Works for me.

Man's Way vs. God's

A good preacher once said almost everything in the Old Testament points to the New, and everything in the New back to the Old.  That is, after all what types and shadows are all about.

Our pastor recently mentioned the case of Joseph and the coat of many colors.  In rereading the account, some previously un-noticed details came to light:  the brothers dipped the coat in blood.  Now the coat of many colors could easily represent all the families of mankind.  Man's way is to cover everyone with the blood. 

The blood was dipped – the blood in temple sacrifices was sprinkled – pointing to a particular redemption, not poured over the altar to cover everyone.

Lev 16:15 Then shall he kill the goat of the sin offering, that [is] for the people, and bring his blood within the vail, and do with that blood as he did with the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it upon the mercy seat, and before the mercy seat:

The blood was from a kid, a goat, not a sheep.  And thirdly, it was done to cover a lie and a sin. rather than take away sin.

The blood of the goat was meant to represent the blood of Joseph. On Cavalry, we are represented through the blood of Christ.

Jonah

 Just when you think you can't get any lower, God prepares a whale...

I like what I heard about Jonah and his travels into Ninevah – an exceeding great city of three days journey – and how Jonah began to preach after one day.  I had always assumed it took three days to get across Nivevah on foot and Jonah had started preaching on the first day. 

I heard a preacher say Nivevah was three days journey from the whale.  Jonah made that three day trip in one day – he ran!